TRAFFIC gridlock ended on Thursday - when Portishead's Cabstand traffic lights were turned off. North Somerset Council highways staff turned off the lights for a couple of hours last week to carry out work to improve the traffic flow at the Cabstand light

TRAFFIC gridlock ended on Thursday - when Portishead's Cabstand traffic lights were turned off.North Somerset Council highways staff turned off the lights for a couple of hours last week to carry out work to improve the traffic flow at the Cabstand lights.The switch was flicked on the lights while highway engineers reprogrammed computers to provide a left-hand filter lane at the junction of Station Road into Wyndham Way.The work will also give higher priority to traffic waiting in the High Street.But residents and workers in the town said the congestion in the centre of Portishead was stopped immediately - when the lights were turned off.Glen Underwood, who works at Gordano Ford, rang the North Somerset Times after noticing the queues had disappeared. Mr Underwood said: "The difference was incredible."People walking past have been commenting on how this was the best the traffic has been flowing for months."There have been no queues."This should make North Somerset Council think again about the Cabstand road layout."Resident Andy Wright said: "When the lights were turned off, there were no queues at any of the junctions. It was amazing to see how freely the traffic moved around Cabstand."North Somerset Council spokesman Richard Turner said: "The lights were switched off while work was carried out to the traffic lights."It is hoped these changes will help improve traffic flow through Cabstand.